HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL ARTS AND INDUSTRIAL ARTS
By Michael McCann, Ph.D., C.I.H.
Arts and industrial arts courses can expose both students and
teachers to a wide variety of hazardous art materials and
processes. Children in elementary schools should only use
non-toxic art materials because of their greater susceptibility
to chemicals and because they cannot be expected to carry out
precautions carefully and consistently. (See CSA data sheet
"Children's Art Supplies Can Be Toxic").
In junior high school however, students begin to take advanced
visual arts and industrial arts courses. It is in these classes
where more complex and potentially hazardous materials are
introduced and used. Among the mediums usually offered to this
level student are printmaking, photography, woodworking and
metalworking. The risk of injury or illness for both students
and teachers from exposure to hazardous chemicals, equipment and
methods, is real unless suitable precautions are taken and safety
measures obeyed. (Refer to the detailed chart for specific
hazards by medium and recommendations for their safe use.) In
addition, certain individuals, such as pregnant women and
disabled persons, might even be at higher risk.
Unfortunately, in many schools, suitable precautions are not
being taken because there is inadequate knowledge about the
hazards of materials and processes and the necessary safety
precautions. As a result, both students and teachers are
becoming ill. Examples of illnesses that have been reported in
junior and senior high school students and teachers include
chemical pneumonia from cadmium-containing silver solders, asthma
from pottery kiln gases, lead poisoning from lead-based enamels
and pottery glazes, brain damage from solvent-based silk screen
printing inks and solvents, skin allergies from dichromate
photoemulsions, and hearing loss from noise in industrial arts
shops. In addition many injuries have resulted from accidents
with machinery, and numerous fires started from the use of such
flammable materials as lacquer thinners, shellacs, and other
solvents without proper precautions and storage procedures.
Aside from the serious illnesses, injuries and property damage
that can result from chemical exposure, accidents or fire, the
school system can be open to possible workers' compensation suits
if a teacher is injured, or even a lawsuit if the injured party
was a student. In the latter case, the supervising teacher might
also be sued.
Private schools are required under the Occupational Safety and
Health Law of 1970 to "provide safe and healthful working
conditions for working men and women." In most states, similar
state laws cover public schools. Many states have passed
Right-To-Know Laws which give employees the right to know about
the hazards of materials with which they work and require
training in these hazards and suitable precautions. Although
these laws do not protect students directly, protecting the
teacher in the classroom and providing for a healthful working
environment, can help protect the student.
The National Art Education Association makes available
liability insurance to art teachers who are members. In addition
many school boards of education cover teachers under their
policies. It is important to investigate these avenues of
liability insurance and determine the extent of coverage under
all conditions as to who and what is covered.
PLANNING A SAFE CLASSROOM
If you can't do it safely, don't do it. This is one of the
basic rules in making an arts or industrial arts classroom safe
for both students and teachers. Before an art material or
process is used in a given classroom, there should be an
evaluation of the particular classroom environment to see if the
technique can be done safely or whether modifications to the
classroom can be made to make it safe. In many instances, budget
limitations might make it impossible to make these modifications
and a substitute material or technique should be found.
It is well understood that many school budgets are tight: some
of the suggestions that follow may seem costly. However, as a
school system develops plans for enhancing the safety of all art
and industrial arts studios and classrooms, these costs can be
built into the budget, knowing that the return will, in the long
run, be well worth the money. Many suggestions to follow involve
removing offending items from studios and classrooms. This costs
nothing at all. It will however involve re-thinking and
re-evaluating the curriculum in terms of finding different
materials and media which can be safely used as substitutes.
HAZARDS OF ART MATERIALS AND PROCESSES
The chemicals found in art and industrial art materials can
cause a wide variety of occupational illnesses, including damage
to skin, eyes, lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, nervous system, and
the reproductive system. Illnesses that appear after a single
exposure - for example, skin burns from contact with concentrated
acids - are called acute illnesses. Because of the swift onset
of symptoms it is fairly simple to relate the exposure source to
the health problem. Other occupational diseases, called chronic
illnesses, only develop after months, years, or even decades of
exposure to a chemical, often at fairly low concentrations. The
chemicals causing these chronic illnesses are much more insidious
and difficult to identify because of the prolonged latency period
of the disease. One example is asbestosis or cancer from long
term exposure to asbestos fibers.
How Chemicals Enter the Body
For a chemical in an art material to harm you, it first must
contact or enter the body. There are three ways in which this
can occur: skin contact, inhalation and ingestion.
Skin contact
Some chemicals, for example acids used in etching, or solvents
like lacquer and paint thinners, can directly irritate the skin
to cause a variety of skin problems. Other chemicals - called
sensitizers - can cause skin allergies, for example formaldehyde
found in some color photography solutions, turpentine, epoxy
glues and resins, nickel and chromium compounds, and many
tropical woods.
Many toxic chemicals, however, do not just damage the skin
itself, but can actually be absorbed through the skin into the
bloodstream, where they can affect other parts of the body.
Examples are methyl alcohol found in some shellacs and
duplicating fluids, toluene found in lacquer thinners and silk
screen inks, and glycol ethers found in photoetching materials.
If the skin's protective barrier is broken by cuts, burns,
rashes, etc., then chemicals which would not normally be absorbed
through the skin may in fact do so.
Inhalation
If the material is airborne, the concern is primarily
inhalation. Examples include solvent vapors from paints, inks,
thinners, etc.; spray mists from air brush or aerosol spray cans;
gases from photographic baths, pottery kiln firing, and welding;
metal fumes from soldering, welding and metal casting; and dusts
from dyes and pigments, pottery glazes, and woodworking Some of
the chemicals in these materials can cause lung damage - for
example, silicosis from inhalation of silica-contaaining clays
and chemical pneumonia from inhaling fumes from
cadmium-containing silver solders. Others can be absorbed into
the bloodstream and transported to organs where they can cause
such problems as lead poisoning, nerve damage, kidney damage, and
reproductive damage - including miscarriages and birth defects.
Ingestion
With young children (and possibly older retarded individuals),
deliberate ingestion is a serious concern. Even older children
and adults, however, can be poisoned by eating, drinking,
smoking, or applying make-up in the shop or classroom where their
art materials can contaminate these items. Pointing paintbrushes
with your mouth and other habits such as nail biting can also
result in ingestion of toxic art materials.
RISK FACTORS
A variety of factors can influence how great a risk you or
your students are taking when working with your art or industrial
arts materials. Two people, exposed to the same chemical under
the same conditions, will quite possibly react differently; one
might get ill, while the other would not. The reason for this is
that they have different personal susceptibilities.
Many groups of people can be at higher risk than others for a
variety of reasons. Examples of high risk groups, as they are
called, include children and adolescents. From a physiological
perspective, they are still growing and have a more rapid
metabolism than adults. As a result they absorb toxic materials
into their bodies more readily. Other members of the high risk
group include the elderly - because of their deteriorating body
systems, smokers, heavy drinkers, asthmatics, people with liver,
kidney, heart of lung damage, and a wide range of disabled
persons because of their disabilities or medications that might
make their bodies more vulnerable to particular chemicals or
conditions.
The final group member would be the pregnant woman or
teenager. It is important to have available material explaining
the special risks involved, especially in the first trimester,
since often the student will not share the knowledge of her
personal condition with the art teacher and special precautions
will not be taken. Pregnant teachers are at even greater risk of
birth defects and miscarriages because of their longer exposure
time in the art room. Refer to CSA publication "Reproductive
Hazards In the Arts and Crafts."
The Disabled Individual
In many regular classrooms, as a result of mainstreaming, and
also many special education classes, disabilities or medications
may put disabled students at high risk of illness and/or injury
from exposure to certain classroom environmental factors such as
noise, machinery, solvents or other substances. Chemicals used
in art or shop classes can more easily damage body organs that
are already damaged, or the chemicals might interact adversely
with medications. Under these conditions, precautions that
protect the non-disabled, might not be sufficient to protect the
disabled. Procedures need to be developed which would enable a
school placement committee to evaluate any potential high risks
for a disabled person. An evaluation of proposed classroom
environments could determine whether, or how the adolescent can
be placed safely in a given class. Recommendations for safe
placement could include possible alterations to the classroom
environment or procedural revisions that would make the classroom
safe.
For a full discussion on high risk groups including the
visually impaired, the retarded, asthmatic, students on
medication, emotionally disturbed or the hearing impaired student
refer to CSA publication, "Teaching Art Safely to the Disabled"
and/or "Children's Art Supplies Can Be Toxic. "
Specific Risk Factors
The specific risk factors affecting exposure limits and
tolerance are:
1) Amount of exposure
The larger the amount of material use, the greater the risk.
For example, using a quart of paint thinner is much more
hazardous than working with a half-cup.
2) Length and Frequency of exposure
How long and how often you work determines the total amount of
a chemical that can possibly enter the body. There is a much
greater risk from working with a chemical several hours daily
than for ten minute, once a week. For this reason, students are
often at much less of a risk than their teachers, since the
teachers are in the classroom or shop for greater lengths of
time.
3) Conditions of exposure
The precautions taken when working with any given chemical
will determine the degree to which it can cause bodily harm.
Precautions such as adequate ventilation, good housekeeping, and
personal protective equipment can reduce your risk of
overexposure. Basically, if the chemical does not get into or
onto the body, then there is no risk.
4) Toxicity
The more toxic a material is, the less it takes to cause body
damage. While small amounts of highly toxic lead compounds can
cause lead poisoning, it would take very large amounts of
slightly toxic iron oxide to poison you.
5) Total body burden
The total body burden of a chemical is the total exposure to
that chemical from all possible sources. For example, the total
body burden of lead would be the total accumulation of lead in
the body from car exhaust fumes, in drinking water coming through
lead pipes, in food from the solder in tin cans, in addition to
the amount coming from such art materials as lead white paint,
lead-containing pottery glazes and copper enamels, and solders
from stained glass, etc.
6) Multiple exposures
Frequently you are exposed to more than one chemical at a
time. Additive damage to the body occurs as each chemical causes
a certain degree of damage, with the total damage being the sum
of each chemical's effect. An example of this additive effect
would be lung damage from being exposed to both irritating
nitrogen dioxide from nitric acid etching and to chlorine gas
from Dutch Mordant, also used in etching.
Sometimes, however, a more serious synergistic or
multiplicative effect can occur when the damage from exposure to
both chemicals is much greater than would be anticipated from the
individual exposures. Many people know that this synergism can
occur due to drinking alcoholic beverages while taking
medications such as barbiturates. Other known examples of
synergistic interactions are smoking and working with asbestos,
and nerve damage fron exposure to n-hexane (found in rubber
cement) and methyl ethyl ketone (found in many lacquer thinners).
GENERAL PRECAUTIONS
The following are some simple precautions you can take to make
your classroom or shop safe for both you and your students. Once
again, the primary concern is the most basic one: Don't do it if
you cannot do it safely. The chart on pages 4 and 5 lists
specific recommendations for many techniques often found in
secondary school art and industrial art programs. More detailed
information on these precautions can be found by consulting the
references listed at the end of this data sheet, especially
Artists Beware and Health Hazards Manual for Artists.
1) Know Your Materials
You must know the composition of your art materials in order
to find out their hazards and suitable precautions.
Unfortunately, most labels only list the ingredients that cause
acute or immediate hazards, and not the ingredients that can
cause long-term or chronic hazards. Even a "non-toxic" label can
be misleading since until 1988 an art material could be labeled
non-toxic if it passed only the acute toxicity tests of the
Federal Hazardous Substances Act.
Art materials with the CL (Certified Label) seal of the Arts
and Crafts Materials Institute (ACMI) also have the chronic or
long-term hazards listed on their label. Several states have
also passed laws that mandate chronic hazard labeling of art
Materials. And in October 1988 Congress passed the Labeling of
Hazardous Art Materials Act which mandates chronic hazards
warnings where needed on all art materials by October 1990.
For more detailed information on the composition, hazards and
precautions associated with art materials, you should also
request Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) on your products from
the distributor or manufacturer. This should be a part of bid
procedures and you should have a MSDS for every product in the
shop or classroom. For help in interpreting the information
contained in the various sections of the form, contact the
Information Center of CSA.
2) Choose the safest materials possible
In secondary schools, students are old enough to learn to work
with hazardous materials. However the most dangerous materials -
for example, cadmium-containing silver solders, lead pottery
glazes and enamels, and asbestos - should be eliminated from
secondary schools. In particular, do not use materials with
"professional/industrial use only" on the label.
Whenever possible replace solvent-containing materials with
water-based materials to eliminate solvent inhalation problems.
Buy wet materials such as prepared clay, aqueous dye solutions,
and water-based glazes rather than the dry powders. Avoid
materials that contain chemicals that can cause cancer or adverse
reproductive effects.
3) "Use with adequate ventilation"
This phrase, appearing on many product labels, needs some
definition. Contrary to popular belief, it does not mean an open
door or window since you have no control over wind direction or
intensity. For example, the wind might blow the contaminants in
your face. It also does not mean an air conditioner as the air
simply recirculates - even on "vent" - whatever contaminants are
around. So what is adequate ventilation?
There are two types of ventilation for control of toxic
contaminants: dilution ventilation and local exhaust
ventilation. Dilution ventilation involves bringing in clean air
to mix with the contaminated air in the classroom and diluting
the contaminaints to a safe level, and then removing the air with
an exhaust fan. Dilution ventilation is not good for large
amounts of solvents - for example printing with solvent-based
silk screen inks, for highly toxic solvents like those in lacquer
thinners, or for dusts.
Local exhaust ventilation, on the other hand, uses hoods,
spray booths, etc. to capture the contaminants where they are
generated before they can get into the general room air. The
contaminants are then exhausted to the outside through ducts.
Examples of local exhaust systems needed in the arts and
industrial arts include: canopy hoods over all kilns, movable
exhaust hoods for welding, spray booths for air brush and
spraying, and slot hoods or enclosed hoods for acid etching.
Local exhaust ventilation usually uses much smaller quantities of
air then dilution ventilation, an advantage in these days of
higher energy costs. As a result, local exhaust ventilation is
preferred. For small scale work, placing the work station
immediately in front of a window exhaust fan at work level will
be sufficient.
Contaminated exhaust air from dilution and local exhaust
ventilation systems should be completely exhausted to the outside
and not recirculated. Spark-proof construction of exhaust
systems and placing fans outside the airstream is important for
all ventilation ductwork systems exhausting flammable solvents.
Fans should be located on the roof or outside so all ducts are
under negative pressure. All components of dilution ventilation
systems and local exhaust ventilation systems, such as hoods,
ducts, fans, etc., should undergo regular checking and
maintenance procedures.
For further information on ventilation of art classrooms and
industrial arts shops, see Ventilation, by
Nancy Clark, Thomas Cutter and Jean-Ann McGrane.
4) Protect against fire
A major problem in many art classrooms and industrial arts
shops is the proper storage and handling of flammable and
combustible liquids. Do not smoke or have open flames, sparks or
static electricity near flammable liquids or gases. Fire safety
equipment that should be available in appropriate areas can
include sprinkler systems, safety cans for dispensing of
flammable solvents, oily waste cans for disposal of
solvent-soaked rags, approved solvent disposal cans, flammable
storage cabinets, and proper fire extinguishers.
There are many laboratories and authorities that approve
protective equipment for use in art or industrial art type room.
It is important to buy only those products which bear an approved
seal or are listed as such in the catalogue. Purchasing your
safety equipment from a reputable dealer or manufacturer is one
step in making certain that the products are approved by the
various authorities.
In most instances either Class ABC multipurpose dry chemical
or Class BC carbon dioxide or dry chemical fire extinguishers are
required. Teachers and other personnel should be trained in
proper fire emergency procedures and the use of fire
extinguishers. Students should also have fire safety orientation
and some training in the use of fire extinguishers. This
training should include information on when it is appropriate to
use a fire extinguisher.
5) Clean up carefully
Always clean up spills immediately. For dusts, wet mop or
vacuum; never sweep-this stirs up the dust. For clay and other
highly toxic dusts, the vacuum cleaner should be equipped with a
special (HEPA) filter.
6) Store and dispose of art materials safely
In general only order amounts of hazardous art materials
needed for one semester. This is particularly important for
flammable liquids since storing large amounts of flammable
liquids is an unnecessary risk. Materials that can react with
each other should never be stored in close proximity - for
example, ammonia should never be stored next to acids. Material
Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) contain information on reactivity of
materials. See the references for information on proper storage
of chemicals.
Old art materials or art materials such as lead glazes which
are being eliminated from the art program must be disposed of
safely. There should be a standard procedure for the disposal of
unwanted materials that may be hazardous. Do not pour solvents
down the sink. Small amounts -less than a pint- can be disposed
of safely by evaporation inside a local exhaust hood or
outdoors. For large amount, contact a waste disposal service.
In many schools, the chemistry department already has such
contacts. Non-polluting materials dissolved in water can be
poured down the sink one at a time with lots of water, if local
regulations permit. Acids and alkalis should always be
neutralized first. Get help from the chemistry department of
your school if you have any questions as to the appropriate
neutralizing agents.
7) Have appropriate safety and personal protective equipment
In addition to appropriate fire prevention equipment,
classrooms need other safety equipment. An eyewash fountain is
essential in all shops and classrooms containing eye irritants.
This should be of the type that connects to the water supply and
can flush both eyes at the saem time. If you are using
concentrated acids and alkalis, there should also be an emergency
shower. Both eyewash stations and emergency showers should be
checked regularly to make certain that they are in good working
order. All classrooms and shops should have accessible and
complete first aid kits.
Suitable and individual personal protective equipment (such as
gloves, goggles, respirators and ear plugs) should be provided or
made available to those requiring such equipment. Selection of
equipment should be centralized to ensure that proper equipment
is chosen. If respirators are needed written procedures should
be developed to include medical screening, training in the use
and limitations of the equipment, and fit testing. Such a
written program is mandatory for the wearing of respirators
according to OSHA regulations. Students should never have to
wear respirators. Wearing of personal protective equipment
should be mandatory for art processes where it is needed to
prevent injury. Records should be kept of operations requiring
the wearing of personal protective equipment.
8) Operate machinery safely
Keep or put machine guards on all machinery, as required by
OSHA regulations. Keep equipment and electrical wiring in good
repair. Ground electrical equipment and do not overload the
wiring.
9) Carry out regular inspections
The art classroom or shop should be regularly inspected to
ensure that materials are stored safely, ventilation is working,
machines have their guards attached, safety and personal
protective equipment are present and in good condition, etc.
Developing a checklist is one of the best ways to do this.
TEACHING SAFELY
As teachers, you have the major responsibility for ensuring
the safety of the students. This is not limited to having a safe
classroom for students. You also have the major responsibility
for ensuring that students receive adequate safety instruction
and that they are properly supervised. In fact many state laws
hold that teachers are in loco parentis to their students. This
means that teachers must exercise greater care in preventing
student injuries than would be expected of an ordinary reasonable
and prudent person. Failure to do so is negligence, and if this
negligence resulted in an injury to a student, then the teacher
could be held liable both financially and professionally.
The following are some rules to ensure that you best protect
your students and yourself.
1) Instruct Students In Safety
Information on the hazards of art materials and techniques
should be incorporated into all classes and students should be
tested on this material as they are in other areas. Preferably
this instruction should include some written information
(e.g. data sheets, written safety rules, books). However other
forms of instruction such as audio-visual aids are also useful.
Documentation of this safety instruction should be made and filed
(including copies of the tests and instructional materials).
2) Supervise Students Carefully
For both safety and liability reasons, there should always be
adequate supervision of students in classrooms. Safety rules
such as wearing personal protective equipment, banning of smoking
and no horseplay should be rigidly enforced. Students should
never be allowed to work in the classroom without direct super-
vision. In addition students should never be allowed to bring in
their own art materials since they could contain unknown hazards.
3) Be Aware Of Special Needs Of Disabled Or Other High Risk
Students
Some students, such as emotionally disturbed students,
physically disabled students, or pregnant students might need
special supervision and attention. In some instances they might
not be able to use the same materials and processes as other
students. In particular pregnant students should not be exposed
to hazardous airborne chemicals (this also, of course, applies to
pregnant teachers). Careful evaluation is needed in each case to
determine what special precautions might be necessary, or whether
the student should be in the classroom at all.
4) Be Prepared For Emergencies
You should have written emergency procedures and instruct
students in them. This can include fire drill procedures, use of
fire extinguishers, proper spill control procedures, how to shut
down processes and machinery in an emergency, what to do in case
of an accident, and who to contact in an emergency.
5) Report All Accidents And Illnesses
All accidents - even minor ones such as a small cut -
illnesses suspected of being related to art materials, spills,
and other near misses should be reported in writing to your
principal or other designated person(s) so that an investigation
can be made and corrective action taken.
6) Enforce Good Personal Work Practices
* Do not allow eating, drinking or smoking in the classroom or
shop.
* Wash chemical splashes off the skin with lots of water. * In
case of eye contact, rinse with water for at least 15-20 minutes
and call a doctor.
* Do not wash hands with solvents; use soap and water. To remove
oil paints, or oil-based inks, use baby oil and then soap and
water.
* Do not allow loose long hair, loose sleeves, necklaces around
machinery.
7) Set An Example For Students
As teachers, you must obey the safety regulations yourself in
order to impress on the students the seriousness of these rules.
HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAMS
The establishment of a formal health and safety program is an
essential step towards a safe and health environment for art
students and teachers. It is a proven way to prevent injuries
and illnesses due to overexposure to chemicals, fires or
accidents. An effective health and safety program can also
result in lowered workers' compensation claims, reduce the
likelihood of negligence suits by injured students, lower
insurance premiums, and provide a mechanism to ensure compliance
with OSHA regulations and state Right-To-Know laws.
An effective health and safety program should be organized at
the school district level since similar problems are found in
different schools. A formal health and safety program should
have certain characteristics:
1. It must be recognized and supported by top administrative
levels of the school district. This is essential for the program
to compete for funds and staff time, to exert authority and to
initiate activities.
2. There must be specific individuals designated as responsible
for the functioning of the health and safety program and who are
accountable for its operation.
3. There must be defined approved activities which are aimed at
carrying out the objectives of the health and safety program.
Health and Safety Committees
One of the most effective ways to involve others in the health
and safety program is through the formation of a district-wide
Health and Safety Committee. In addition, each school should
have its own health and safety committee. For schools with large
arts and industrial arts departments, it might even be
advantageous to have departmental health and safety committees to
specifically deal with the many hazards found in these
departments.
For a complete discussion on health and safety programs and
committees consult the CSA publication entitled, "A Health and
Safety Program for Arts Organizations."
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ART/INDUSTRIAL ARTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
This chart lists specific recommendations for ventilation and
substitutes for hazardous arts and industrial arts techniques.
These recommendations are advisory in nature based on current av-
ailable information. It important to maintain current information
on the hazards of art materials and available substitutes.
Technique Major Hazards Recommendations
Airbrush
- water-based pigments,dyes Use with local exhaust
such as a spray booth.
- solvent-based solvents Do not use.
Auto mechanics asbestos Do not clean brake drums.
degreasing Have local exhaust for
degreasing tanks.
carbon monoxide Have local exhaust for
tailpipe exhaust.
body fillers Have good dilution
ventilation for epoxy
and polyester body
fillers.
Batik wax fumes Melt wax at lowest
possible temperature.
Ironing out requires
local exhaust
ventilation.
dye powders Use water-based liquid
dyes or mix powders in
box with glass top and
holes in sides for arms.
Ceramics clay dust Do not use dry clay
due to silica hazards.
Use pre-mixed clay
instead and avoid
dustmaking clay projects.
glazes Do not use lead glazes or
frits. Use prepared
glazes.
kiln firing All kilns require canopy
hoods or separate room
with good dilution
ventilation.
Commercial Art rubber cement Requires at least 10 air
permanent markers changes/hour dilution
ventilation. Waxers and
water-based markers are
good substitutes.
spray adhesives Use only in explosion
proof spray booth or
outdoors.
air brush See Air brush
Drawing
- pencil See General Precautions.
- charcoal See General Precautions
- pen and ink solvents Need at least 10 air
changes/hour dilution
ventilation for solvent-
based inks.
Enameling lead, arsenic Do not use enamels that
contain lead. Use
lead-free enamels.
kiln Requires canopy hood or
window exhaust fan.
Forging noise Forging should be done in
separate room and
students need hearing
protectors.
carbon monoxide Hot forging furnace
requires canopy hood.
Intaglio nitric acid Acid trays and sinks
hydrochloric require slot exhaust or
acid laboratory hood. A
substitute for nitric
acid is ferric chloride.
photoetches Do not use unless have
local exhaust
ventilation because of
reproductive hazards.
solvents Requires local exhaust
ventilation for plate
cleaning and at least 10
air changes/hour for
small amounts of general
solvent use.
aquatinting Rosin boxes should be
explosion-proof; cans of
spray paint should be
used outdoors or in a
spray booth.
Jewelry silver solders Do not use cadmium-
fluxes containing silver solders
or fluoride fluxes.
Requires local exhaust.
pickling baths Requires local exhaust.
Use Sparex not
sulfuric acid.
Lithography solvents Use local exhaust for
roller cleaning and have
at least 10 air changes/
hour for small scale
solvent use.
vinyl lacquers Do not use.
dichromates Do not use dichromate
fountain solutions or
phototechniques.
Metal casting carbon monoxide Gas-fired furnace
requires canopy hood.
burnout kiln Wax burnout kiln requires
canopy hood.
Painting
- acrylic See General Precautions
- alkyds solvents See Painting, oils.
- gouache See General Precautions
- oil mineral spirits Do not use oil paints
turpentine unless there is
adequate dilution
ventilation (5000-6000
cfm/pint evaporated/hr.)
Use water-based paints
instead.
- tempera See General Precautions
- watercolor See General Precautions
Pastels pigment dust Do not blow off excess
dust; tap it off.
Alternative is oil
pastels.
spray fixative Use only in spray booth
or outdoors.
Photography
- black and white sulfur dioxide Requires 170 cfm of
acetic acid dilution ventilation.
sulfide or Requires local exhaust
selenium toners ventilation.
- color solvents Requires local exhaust
formaldehyde, etc. ventilation.
- blueprinting carbon arcs Do not use carbon arcs.
Use sunlight.
- brownprinting silver nitrate Do not spray silver
nitrate because of the
possible eye damage.
- diazo copiers ammonia Requires local exhaust.
Relief printing solvents Use water-based inks.
Sculpture
- clay See Ceramics
- plastic resins polyester Do not use.
polyurethane Do not use.
epoxy Use with dilution
ventilation.
- plastics decomposition Have local exhaust if
products burning plastics. Good
dilution ventilation is
sufficient for hot wire
cutting, heating, etc.
- plaster See General Precautions
- stone asbestos, silica Soapstones, steatites,
etc. should be analysed
for asbestos. Alabaster
is a safer substitute.
- wax decomposition Melt wax at lowest
products possible temperature.
Have canopy hood for wax
burnout.
- wood See Woodworking
Silk screen solvents Do not use solvent-based
inks and stencils. Use
water-based inks and
paper stencils.
dichromates Do not use dichromate
photoemulsions. Use diazo
photoemulsions.
Stained glass lead came Use with local exhaust
solders, fluxes ventilation. Also
requires careful wet
mopping and personal
hygiene.
Weaving See General Precautions.
Welding metal fumes Use slot hoods for bench
toxic gases welding and movable
exhausts for other
welding. Do not use
galvanized or found
metals.
Woodworking wood dust Equip dust-producing
machines with dust
collectors.
CCA-treated wood Do not use chromated
copper arsenate-treated
wood.
solvents Use water-based paints
glues whenever possible.
spraying should only be done in
explosion-proof spray
booth.
formaldehyde Do not use formaldehyde
containing glues.
SOURCES OF FURTHER ASSISTANCE
1. The Center for Safety in the Arts (CSA), 5 Beekman Street, New
York, N.Y. 10038 (212) 227-6220.
The Art Hazards Information Center of CSA will answer written
and telephoned inquiries on art hazards including compliance with
Right-To-Know Laws and other art hazards related legislation,
site-specific problems, referrals to physicians, etc. CSA also
has a wide variety of educational and consultative services and
programs including providing lecturers, courses, on-site
inspections, and planning consultative services.
2. OSHA State Consultative Services
OSHA funds free consultative services in each state. These
are operated by the state or by universities. They will do an
OSHA-like inspection, however they are not an enforcement
agency. The only time they would report findings to OSHA
would be in the case of imminent danger situations.
3. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Robert A. Taft Laboratories/4676 Columbia Parkway. Cincinnati,
Ohio 45226. (Check with CSA for regional office addresses and
telephone numbers.)
NIOSH and its regional offices can answer inquiries about
health and safety and investigate hazardous worksites. This
program is particularly useful where medical problems are
occurring and their source is uncertain. NIOSH can also
provide medical evaluations during such a survey. The
regional offices distribute publications and are also an
excellent resource for information about other local sources
of help.
4. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 470 Batterymarch
Park, Quincy, MA 02269 (617) 770-3000.
There are many other good sources of information including The
American Red Cross, American Society for Testing and Materials
(ASTM), American Society of Safety Engineers, American Industrial
Hygiene Association, The National Safety Council, Arts and Crafts
Materials Institute (ACMI), American Welding Society, your local
insurance carrier, Environmental Health Departments of
Universities, among others. For further information on any of
the above, contact CSA.
REFERENCES
A. M. Best Company. Best's Safety Directory. 2 Volumes.
Oldwick, N.J. Updated regularly.
American Mutual Assurance Alliance. Handbook of Organic
Industrial Solvents. 6th Edition, Chicago (1986). *
American National Standards Institute. Practice for Occupational
and Educational Eye and Face Protection. ANSI Z87.1-1979. New
York (1980).
Babin, Angela, Perri Peltz, and Monona Rossol. "Children's Art
Supplies Can Be Toxic." Center for Safety in the Arts, New York
(1988). *
Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety. Series of
one-page data sheets on various topics. *
- Chain Saws (6 pp)
- Hand Tools (16 pp)
- Welding (17 pp)
- Woodworking (10 pp)
Center for Safety in the Arts. "A Health and Safety Program for
Arts Organizations." CSA, New York (1985). *
Clark, Nancy; Thomas Cutter and Jean-Ann McGrane. Ventilation
Nick Lyons Books. New York (1984). *
Firenze, Robert B. and James B. Walters. Safety and Health for
Industrial/Vocational Education for Supervisors and
Instructors. National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health/Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Washington, D.C. (1981).
Gosselin, Robert; Roger Smith and Harold Hodge. Clinical
Toxicology of Commercial Products. 5th Edition, Williams and
Wilkins, Baltimore M.D. (1984).
Graham, Charles D., Ed. Pennsylvania Industrial Arts Safety
Guide. 2nd Edition, Pennsylvania Department of Education and
Industrial Arts Association of Pennsylvania (1981).
International Labor Office. Encyclopedia of Occupational
Safety and Health. 2 Volumes, 3rd Edition. Geneva,
Switzerland (1983).
McCann, Michael. Artist Beware, 2nd ed. Lyons and Burford
Publishers, New York (1992). *
McCann, Michael. Health Hazards Manual for Artists. 3rd
Edition. Nick Lyons Books, New York (1985). *
McCann, Michael. "Teaching Art Safely to the Disabled." Center
for Safety in the Arts, New York (1987).*
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
- The Industrial Environment: Its Evaluation and Control.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. (1973).
- A Guide to Industrial Respiratory Protection. DHEW (NIOSH)
#76-189. Government Printing Office, Washington,D.C. (1976).
- NIOSH Certified Equipment List As of September 1, 1983. DHEW
(NIOSH) #83-122. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
(1983). Updated regularly.
- Occupational Diseases: A Guide to Their Recognition. Revised
Edition, Government Printing Office, Washington,D.C. (1977).
- 1980 Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances, Two
volumes. DHEW (NIOSH) #81-116. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. (1981).
Patty, Frank; Editor Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology. Volume
Two/3 Parts. Third Edition, Interscience Publishers, New York
(1982)
Qualley, Charles. Safety In The Art Room. Davis Publications.
Worcester, M.A. (1986). *
Sax, N. Irving. Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials.
6th Edition, Van Nostrand-Reinhold, New York (1984). Updated
regularly.
Shaw, Susan. Overexposure: Health Hazards In Photography. Friends
of Photography, California (1983). *
Strong, Merle; Editor. Accident Prevention Manual For Training
Programs. Revised edition, American Technical Society (1975).
U.S. Department of Labor. General Industry Occupational Safety
and Health Standards 29 CFR. 1910 Federal Register (June
1981). Updated regularly.
(c) Copyright Center for Safety in the Arts 1986, 1989.